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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

General Sailing Forum

How do you keep fish guts out of boat?

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Gloss
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1916 Posts

Initially Posted - 04/11/2005 : 14:58:49

Hi there,
I have been considering fishing from my boat when I sail from Key West to the Tortugas next week. The one thing that has been keeping me from fishing is the smell you get from cleaning fish and getting fish guts and blood in your cockpit. As I will be living on the boat for two weeks or more I really don't want the smell

So you folks who do fish from your boat, how do you handle this problem. Of course if I catch some snapper or a Mahi, I want it for supper. Taking it home is not an option.

Suggestions?

Frank Gloss
Formerly 89WK/TR
85 Ericson 32-3 shoal draft "Molto Bene"

Edited by - on

frankr
Captain

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256 Posts

Response Posted - 04/11/2005 : 16:07:00

One could use a small plastic wash tub (litter pan size) to keep the stuff confined.

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dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 04/11/2005 : 16:10:46

When a soda gets overturned in the cockpit, it is easily rinsed using a bucket.

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Gloss
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1916 Posts

Response Posted - 04/11/2005 : 17:13:50

a soda smells nicer than fish guts (sushi anyone?)

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JimB517
Past Commodore

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USA
3285 Posts

Response Posted - 04/11/2005 : 17:45:38

My cockpit cushions are dark green to hide fish blood!

Fish are best cleaned on shore. I have a small white cutting board and a couple of very sharp knives to do the job.

Good luck and I'd be fishing the entire trip! Especially drag lures over coral heads and keep a sharp eye out for tuna breaking the water.

Indiscipline can troll a 3 line set, plus I can pitch a 4th at paddys, fish boils, or breaking/breezing fish.

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Sid
Navigator

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129 Posts

Response Posted - 04/11/2005 : 17:46:30

You could try one of the fish cleaning tables that mount to the pulpit and return the waste overboard, rinse in the water, and then wipe with Lysol wipes to sanitize.
Sid

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Sloop Smitten
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1181 Posts

Response Posted - 04/11/2005 : 18:06:23

Frank,
I made myself a fish cleaning board that has a spring loaded clamp screwed to it that I filed teeth into. When I get ready to filet a fish I clamp the tail and skin away. Carcass goes overboard and it limits the mess. Gutting fish would be a lot messier. I like the above idea of adding a connector that would mount it to the pulpit. If you have my luck you'll never catch anything worth eating anyway.

Joe

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ddlyle
Captain

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302 Posts

Response Posted - 04/11/2005 : 23:16:27

I personally don't fish, but I wonder if using a lemon would help get rid of the smell (after using the bucket). After using the lemon during the cooking process, one could save the (used) lemon to rub on the areas of the cockpit if they still smelled after the bucket wash.

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Ed Harris
1st Mate

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25 Posts

Response Posted - 04/12/2005 : 15:14:32

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by JimB517
 My cockpit cushions are dark green to hide fish blood!

Fish are best cleaned on shore. I have a small white cutting board and a couple of very sharp knives to do the job.

Good luck and I'd be fishing the entire trip! Especially drag lures over coral heads and keep a sharp eye out for tuna breaking the water.

Indiscipline can troll a 3 line set, plus I can pitch a 4th at paddys, fish boils, or breaking/breezing fish.

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Jim, where did you get your rod holders? I hate the idea of paying $30 a piece for the chrome jobs.

Ed

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dhunt
1st Mate

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USA
83 Posts

Response Posted - 04/13/2005 : 10:01:14

What's the cane pole running along the backstay for?

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JimB517
Past Commodore

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USA
3285 Posts

Response Posted - 04/13/2005 : 11:24:07

I made the rod holders using PVC, U bolts and oak. I made all 4 for about $20 from Home Depot. They work better than expensive stainless ones ($50 each at WM).

The oak was cut in small rectangular pieces. A groove was chisled in the piece to fit the 1 inch stainless pulpit. A pair of holes were drilled in the PVC. Larger holes on one side, smaller on the other. A screwdriver is placed through the larger hole to allow a flathead screw to be placed through the smaller and be bolted to the piece of oak. Then the wood is U bolted to the rail. Made all 4 in an evening and they have worked for 3 years now. There are also little string and hooks on each one so I can hook the rod/reel to the boat (don't want to lose an expensive rig). They can be adjusted to any angle.

The bamboo pole is my gaf - boat hook. I made my own using a very large shark fishing hook lashed to a piece of bamboo from the garden store. Cost about $5. We have lots of kelp and it often gets tangled in the rudder or on the engine. The gaf/boathook is great for that, I've never gaffed a fish with it! Its got a sharp point and I want to keep it out of the way. Also (you can't see it) but I keep a cork from a wine bottle on the hook. After a couple of seasons the bamboo cracked and I now have a new one.

I've changed my setup a little since that photo and now carry my net back there in a rod holder, the gaf, and 4 rods (2 trolling and 2 for casting). Its good to have the net always ready. I dropped in a floating winch handle and scooped it up no problem recently.

Heres a photo of my homemade bait table / cockpit table. Its mounted on a rail mount for easy removal and storage below.

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Gloss
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1916 Posts

Response Posted - 04/13/2005 : 13:15:25

Hey Jim,
I like your fish/bait table. do you have holes in it to drain fish guts and blood? It would appear that you probably have U-bolts or something like that to hold it onto your rail.

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JimB517
Past Commodore

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USA
3285 Posts

Response Posted - 04/13/2005 : 16:39:40

The table has drain holes for fish guts/blood. I put a starboard cutting board on top when actually cutting. The mount is some kind of rail mount for a table I had laying around. There is a little handle underneath. A couple of twists and you can take it off and stow below. Its very sturdy.

Needs a little clean up and varnish, but for a fish station, its OK.

I got to take a picture of my latest project - a tackle station that fits under the tiller (in the far aft of the cockpit) that holds 3 trays of fishing lures/gear, binoculars, VHF handheld, and 2 coffee cups. 100% out of the way in that dead area under the very back of the tiller. Never spill a drink again or go searching for a place to put a can down.

I also rebuilt the galley, I have to post a photo or two of the new propane stove and interior tables I made.

Most of my stuff is work boat quality - as opposed to gold plated gin palace quality (if you've read Tristan Jones).

Edited by - on

Gloss
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1916 Posts

Response Posted - 04/13/2005 : 16:53:45

My work is middle of the road Tequila quality

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mwalkup
1st Mate

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USA
79 Posts

Response Posted - 04/13/2005 : 17:50:39

Say Jim is that a black sea bass on your operating table there.

Mike
83tr/fk

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Spike
Navigator

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141 Posts

Response Posted - 04/13/2005 : 20:48:11

You catch fish that are afraid of everything. You know they don't have the guts to do anything.

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ClamBeach
Master Marine Consultant

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3072 Posts

Response Posted - 04/13/2005 : 23:48:39

"How do you keep fish guts out of boat?"

Well, I was gonna suggest having JB on board doing the fishing... but since he posted a fish photo (allegedly taken on Indicipline) I'll have to come up with some other wry remark. :>(

Hmmm... rig on the portside looks like a Penn 320GTI... same reel I use up here on Salmon. Penn 209 on Starboard and a Penn Slammer in the middle?

Make sure those single rail clamps stay tight, I had a wicked strike spin one horizontal last summer... a wild (and lucky) dive for the pole was the only thing that saved the (fishing) rig.
Wasn't able to set the hook though... sure would liked to have seen that fish.

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JimB517
Past Commodore

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USA
3285 Posts

Response Posted - 04/14/2005 : 01:13:06

No thats a big Calico. Black Sea Bass are forbidden! He was released after getting his photo taken.

My gear is this

Penn 320 GTI Level Wind spooled with 30 lb on Penn Jigmaster, and
Penn 133H spooled with 40 lb on a Seeker trolling rod. These are my heavy duty trolling rods. Heavy line is needed to get free of kelp entanglements. The 320 GTI is not very good, I had 3 now down to 1, the others sacrificed for parts. I will replace with a 113H someday when I have $100 to spare.

Penn 9500 Salt Water Spinning reel spooled with 25 lb on a custom rod I bought at a swap meet. This is for throwing iron at boiling fish. The real fisherman laugh at the spinning reel but I've caught big fish on it and never have tangles.

No name light weight salt water spinning rod and reel spooled with 12 lb. I always keep this handy and rigged with plastic lures we call "fish traps". I use this most often...good for bait, or fishing in the kelp since fish traps can be rigged to be "weed free".

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